Nitrates and stored water

[sgallagher7]

After racking my brains trying to figure out why my nitrates in my tank wont come down, I decided to test my source water and mixed storage water. My source water came back at 0 nitrates, but my mixed storage water came back at 20 to 25. My container is covered, in the garage and has a pump and heater. Can this happen with a rubbermaid? Could the container be leaching? It does have a brownish buidup on the inside walls. Should I be rinsing the storage container out on occasion?

 

[05TurboS2K]

I'm but a newbie however I'd imagine were talking about some life going on in there and then dying off = nitrates. Especially with the brownish buildup, that'd support it. Perhaps you should block light out better?

 

[sgallagher7]

The container is a brute trashcan with a lid. Im wondering if the heat from my summers has allowed something to grow. It gets pretty hot in az, and having it in the garage made it reach temps of 85+. Im heading out now to get a new trash can and start new.

 

[bertoni]

Did you measure nitrite? Nitrite can interfere with nitrogen test kits, and show up as a lot of nitrate. Most salt products will have a bit of ammonia in them, which could start a food chain going.

 

[blcard]

Just curious, could you scrape some of the brown stuff off, put in another small container and see if the trates raise?

 

[sgallagher7]

Nitrites were fine. It appears to be dried brown. Maybe dried diatoms? I learned from the LFS that he rinses his storage containers once a moth. Something I havnt done.

 

[fishox]

I have the same brown stuff in my brute mixing container. I would love to know what causes it and what it is.

 

[sgallagher7]

Im going to test it today with some ro/di water to get a nitrate and nitrite reading. Im thinking it is some sort of algea bloom that developed on the sides. But at present my container water is testing at 20 to 25 nitrate.

 

[sgallagher7]

Just scraped some of the "brown" stuff off of the side of my Brute. Tested for nitrates. Came up at 10 ppm. Im curious if the reading would be higher if the growth was moist and heated with mixed water. Im starting to think that this is the inital cause of my nitrates unable to lower.

 

[bertoni]

20-25 ppm is very high. I don't understand that.

 

[sgallagher7]

I"v been scratching my head for awhile when it came to my nitrates in the tank being high with nothing in it but rock and a few coral. Never took the time to test the container water. It was always covered and circulating. Im thinking that the severe temps in the summer allowed some growth to occure. I assumed it was just from residual salt, but this is mostly brown, and very dried at this point.

BTW, Jonathan, you have been a great asset to this forum as a whole and have helped me a great deal from the inital stages of setting up my tank. My thanks to you.

 

[bertoni]

You're welcome!